Inspired Digital Media

A veteran writer and storyteller. Compelling creativity at high velocity.

A Seasoned Craftsman with Startup Velocity

With a background in online journalism, I tell compelling stories about technology companies.
Beginning as a regular columnist for CNet, The Japan Times (technology page) and CNN,
I then served as editor in chief during the formative years of new media startups TechInAsia and then The Bridge.

My achievements in the startup media space attracted the attention of advertising agencies who enlisted my help (for brands like Nikon and most recently IBM) in creative content and digital strategy.

My story is all about finding your story

I've been a creative web professional for over a decade, in both new media and agency roles. I pride myself in telling stories that go beyond just the written word.

“Caring is more important than knowing. If you care, you will spend more time learning and executing, and that will yield better results.”

My Skills

I take pride in being a T-shaped professional. Content is my core. But I can also flex across disciplines to facilitate great teamwork.

Content Creation Skills

My focus is creating great content for the web. So in addition to finely crafted writing, I take pride in producing engaging visuals in the form of photography, graphics, or video.

Writing/Editing

90% Complete

Photo/Video

90% Complete

Design

70% Complete

HTML

90% Complete

Cross-Discipline Skills

Producing great web content requires communication and collaboration from the initial idea through to the execution. I enjoy working with directly designers and developers, guiding the process end-to-end.

UI/UX

80% Complete

Development

70% Complete

Agile Methods

90% Complete

Recent Professional Highlights

Here's a brief overview of companies and clients I've worked for over the past few years in Japan.

June2014

IBM Studios / Havas Worldwide

IBM Studios is a worldwide network of creative digital studios that apply data, technology, and agile methods to the crafting of digital experiences. Contracted from Havas Worldwide, I led Content Strategy for the Tokyo Studio, coordinating with our New York Studio and IBM Japan on projects designed to have global impact for the company.

06/2014 - 07/2015

Feb2013

K&L / Nikon

K&L Inc is a creative agency based in Tokyo. I contributed on the company’s long-standing Nikon account, producing English-language taglines and copy for use in global advertising materials for DSLR cameras, including the most recent flagship D4S model. Samples can be found here.

02/2013 - 06/2014

The Bridge

The Bridge Inc. is a bilingual media organization that covers the Asia tech scene in English and Japanese. I was brought on to help the Japanese team launch its English website, and guided the site to a quick success. My duties included writing (view samples here), editing, photography, videography, interactives, workflow design, fact-checking, and social media engagement.

02/2013 - 06/2014

Apr2011

TechInAsia.com

As chief editor of this digital news startup (techinasia.com), I managed a large global team of about 20 people located around Asia, and coordinated daily publishing on our content management system. I ensured that HTML layouts were well-designed and error-free, and I also handled social media promotion via Twitter, Facebook, and other channels. Samples of my own writing contributions are here.

04/2011 - 01/2013

The Japan Times

I contributed a regular technology column to The Japan Times newspaper, reporting on the latest trends in consumer technology. Samples can be found here.

A few times a year, I report on international volleyball competitions for the FIVB, working under the JVA for tournaments in Japan. I comment live on match play and report on post-game press conferences on site and on social media, sometimes using fun digital tools to get the job done. Samples can be found here.

09/2010 - Present

Portfolio

Here are just a few samples of my design, photography, and video work. More writing samples can be found on 1rick.com.